Ontario Street Housing Development

Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS), Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC), Habitat for Humanity Northumberland (HFHN) and Northumberland County are partnering to jointly develop and manage an affordable housing complex at 473 Ontario Street in Cobourg.

The Ontario Street housing development will introduce 62 new affordable housing units to the community, with a mixture of tenure and affordability types, including:

  • Units geared to Indigenous households, with direct access to Indigenous supports such as First Nation, Métis and Inuit cultural teachings, Traditional Healers and other programming
  • Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing
  • Affordable and attainable market rental units

Development status

  • In November 2019, Northumberland County Council approved the purchase of land located at 473 Ontario Street, Cobourg.
  • In September 2021, Northumberland County entered into the Memorandum of Understanding with HFHN, NCHC and OAHS.
    • Given the size, scope and complexity of this development, proper planning is essential. Project partners are currently collaborating on pre-construction activities including:
    • Development of the build's scope of work.
    • Development of a project budget that meets scope and affordability requirements.
    • Development of a Request for Proposals for the Architectural & Engineering  Consulting Team, whose work will include detailed design and construction administration for this development. The detailed design stage will include completion of necessary studies to inform the design such as a traffic impact analysis, geotechnical investigation, heritage impact, archeological study, noise and vibration study, and more.
  • Funding for pre-construction activities includes:
    • In May 2021, the County received a $175,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainable Affordable Housing Program for pre-construction studies for this development.
    • In July 2021, the County received a $150,000 grant and a $156,000 interest-free loan towards this development from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Seed Funding program, for pre-construction activities.
  • Construction it targeted to begin in 2025. 

Updates

Our partners

Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS)

OAHS will own and operate 32 units in the Ontario Street Housing Development, which will be geared to Indigenous households. These units will increase access to affordable housing for the Indigenous community, providing residents with direct access to Indigenous supports such as First Nation, Métis and Inuit cultural teachings, Traditional Healers and other programming.

Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC)

25 units in the Ontario Street Housing Development will be Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI), affordable and attainable market rental units owned and operated by the Northumberland County Housing Corporation (NCHC). The NCHC is a community housing provider in Northumberland County with over 344 owned and operated housing units. The NCHC provides rent-geared-to-income (RGI) and affordable rental options to low-income households in Northumberland.

Habitat for Humanity Northumberland (HFHN)

5 units in the Ontario Street Housing Development will be geared to Equity Partnership households through Habitat for Humanity Northumberland. HFHN’s Equity Partnership program will enable occupants of these units to build equity that can be transferred in the future to a HFHN or private market home.

Northumberland County

Northumberland County purchased the land at 473 Ontario Street in 2019 with the intention of partnering with these three organizations - which offer unique housing services in the community - to expand access to affordable housing in Northumberland. The County will be providing development services to advance this important project. 

Ontario Street Housing Project partner logos including Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, NCHC, Northumberland County and Habitat for Humanity Northumberland